According to the indictment, Dodd impersonated a federal officer and forcibly detained an occupant of a residence where marijuana was being grown. Other defendants were plotting to steal marijuana plants by force.

If convicted of the drug charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted of impersonating a federal officer, Dodd faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, if convicted, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory sentencing factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Central Valley Marijuana Investigation Team, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) , the Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulare County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.